Yang Kai flew out of the secluded cave, following closely behind ng Wu Ya as the two descended toward the depths of the Coiling Dragon Stream.
The night wind whistled past their ears, sharp and cold, while the vast chasm of the Coiling Dragon Stream yawned beneath them like a bottomless abyss. Even as Yang Kai narrowed his eyes and focused intently, he could not make out the ground far below; the darkness seed to stretch endlessly, swallowing all sight.
A faint doubt crossed his mind — surely ng Wu Ya did not intend to take him all the way to the very bottom of the Coiling Dragon Stream? But before that thought could settle, ng Wu Ya suddenly altered his course. After plunging for several thousand feet, the old man shifted his direction sharply, veering toward the rocky embanknt of the stream.
In only a short mont, the two of them ca to a halt in mid-air. The surroundings were deathly silent, the moonlight casting cold silver over the jagged cliffs.
Hovering effortlessly in the middle of the night sky, ng Wu Ya gazed at the sheer, flat stone wall before them, his expression unreadable.
"Is it here?" Yang Kai asked, his voice steady but tinged with curiosity.
"En," ng Wu Ya replied with a brief nod. "You and I must act together, channeling our True Qi into it."
"Good," Yang Kai agreed without hesitation.
"Then I must trouble you with this task."
"There’s no need to be so polite between us," Yang Kai answered, a faint smile playing at his lips.
ng Wu Ya’s own grin widened until it nearly reached his ears, the moonlight glinting off his exposed back teeth. Inwardly, the old man was more than delighted — if it ant sending this troubleso brat Yang Kai far, far away, then even exhausting all his True Qi would be worth it. If it really ca down to it, he would even call his father from the grave to help push the boy through.
"Let’s begin," ng Wu Ya said, his voice brimming with anticipation as he began to circulate his True Qi. Pressing his palm firmly against the center of the stone wall, a faint hum seed to pass through the rock.
Yang Kai mirrored his actions, placing his palm against the opposite side of the wall and sending his own True Qi surging forward.
The stone wall appeared utterly ordinary, yet the mont their energies sank into it, it revealed its true nature. The flood of True Qi pouring in was like water falling into a bottomless pit, vanishing without a trace, and the wall itself did not shudder in the slightest under the trendous force.
Yang Kai felt a flicker of shock in his heart. This wall clearly concealed an extraordinary secret — one so profound that even this much power failed to stir it. And the fact that it lay hidden within the Coiling Dragon Stream itself suggested there might be so deeper, unknown connection.
Ti passed slowly, the effort unrelenting. After the span of roughly a cup of tea, a change finally occurred. From the center of the seemingly plain cobbled wall, a layer of faint, dark ripples erged, as if the solid stone had turned into the surface of a still pond. The ripples spread outward in smooth, deliberate waves, reaching ever closer to each corner of the wall.
The ripples on the wall swelled, growing larger and more turbulent. It was as if the calm surface of a hidden lake was being rcilessly pelted with pebbles and small rocks, each strike sending shivers across its face. Soon, the ripples twisted into an ever-expanding whirlpool of strange energy, so dizzying that anyone foolish enough to stare too long would feel their vision spin and their balance waver.
ng Wu Ya’s eyes lit up like lanterns in the dark. Without hesitation, the old man hopped backward with the speed of a startled rabbit, retreating far enough to be well out of range should anything unexpected — or inconvenient — happen.
Though both n had stopped pouring in their True Qi, the changes on the wall refused to stop. The ripples churned with even greater force, their hum turning into a low rumble that seed to reverberate in the bones. What had once been a shimring illusion was now a tangible phenonon; the whirlpool rotated steadily, its dark center pulling at the air around it, before the stone wall abruptly yielded and revealed a yawning black hole.
The mont Yang Kai’s gaze fell upon that darkness, a subtle pull tugged at his very soul. His thoughts went fuzzy, his surroundings dim, as if the void itself was whispering for him to step forward and be swallowed whole.
"Little Yang Kai," ng Wu Ya said, stepping up and placing a hand on his shoulder, his face arranged into what might have been a heavy-hearted look — if not for the twinkle of pure mischief in his eyes. "Be sure to take care!"
Yang Kai’s brow furrowed. Treasurer ng’s tone was suspiciously warm, and his behavior tonight far too... familial. Sothing about the way the old man was smiling scread that he was enjoying himself far too much for this to be a sincere farewell.
Still, Yang Kai turned toward the swirling darkness. Just before stepping in, he glanced back over his shoulder — and imdiately caught ng Wu Ya grinning from ear to ear, waving both hands like an overeager shopkeeper sending off his most troubleso custor. It was a smile so joyous it looked painful to maintain, and perhaps that was why the old man waved as if afraid Yang Kai might suddenly change his mind and fly right back out.
Then, in a blink, Yang Kai stepped forward and vanished into the blackness. The whirlpool snapped shut like a slamd door, the stone wall restoring itself to its plain, unremarkable appearance as if nothing had happened.
ng Wu Ya exhaled in deep relief, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. For a long while, he simply floated there, savoring the silence. Then, slowly, his lips curled into a grin... and finally, he threw back his head and roared with laughter.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
The sound crashed through the night like a thunderclap, shaking the heavens and rattling the earth. It echoed across High Heaven Pavilion, startling countless disciples awake in their beds. So shivered under their blankets, whispering to themselves in terror: The heavens have rcy — what happened to make Treasurer ng laugh like that?!
Inside his mind, ng Wu Ya was practically dancing. They finally took this slly brat away! The heavens truly do have eyes! No more trouble, no more chaos — my precious little apprentice’s heart will be safe. Wonderful! Who knows when he’ll co back? A year? Two? Or maybe never! Even better!
By the ti he returns, my baby apprentice will have forgotten him completely. With nothing to distract her, she’ll cultivate diligently, grow strong, and bloom into the perfect little disciple I always dread of... all in peace and quiet!
Overco with glee at his own good fortune, ng Wu Ya erupted into laughter again, this ti even louder than before, until it seed the mountains themselves might crack from the sound.
anwhile, on the other side of the vanished portal, Yang Kai was swept through a chaotic blur. The strange surroundings lasted only about three breaths before the chaos peeled away, replaced by a sudden burst of brilliant light — and in the next instant, he found himself standing in an entirely unfamiliar land.
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To all my Indian readers — wishing you a joyful and love-filled Raksha Bandhan! May this special day strengthen the bonds of love and protection between you and your siblings, and bring warmth and happiness to your hearts.
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